GERMANY, Sr. M. Dorthe Freisberg. “Queen of Hearts”. Millions of people associate this title with Princess Diana of England who died in 1997. She supported many charitable projects and devoted herself to the disadvantaged. The new Prime Minister of Rheinland-Pfalz in Germany, Malu Dreyer, was also given this title repeatedly in the last few months. Yet what distinguishes a person who is called the “Queen of Hearts”? The media offer no definition; the title is self-explanatory. It obviously describes someone who is greatly loved and who spontaneously touches people’s hearts.
A full peal of bells to celebrate the day
A priest addressed the Blessed Mother with the title “Queen of Hearts” when she paid a visit to his parish in the symbol of the large Pilgrim Mother picture for Europe. In order to mark the day he had the full peal of bells of his pilgrimage church ring out for five minutes before the services. Mrs Pfeifer from Bergatreute near Berne reported on this special visitor to her parish as follows: “At Holy Mass, and in the time of Eucharistic Adoration that followed, our parish priest turned again and again to the Blessed Mother and entrusted to her the intentions of New Evangelisation especially in this Year of Faith. All were touched by the special atmosphere surrounding the picture of the Blessed Mother. Even after some days I was approached by people who remarked that it had been such a lovely time.”
The Year of Faith becomes practical
The official title of this particular pilgrim picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt, which was crowned on 8 September 2012 in the presence of 3000 pilgrims from 19 European countries by Archbishop Fisichella, is “Queen of New Evangelisation in Europe”. This clearly indicates the intention for which the Blessed Mother was crowned and for which she is now on pilgrimage during this Year of Faith, first of all through Germany and then through the other countries of Europe.
She wants to open hearts once more for Christ, for the grace of lived Christianity.
Twenty minute bonus for the city’s parish church
In the parishes the Blessed Mother visits in the sign of the European Pilgrim Picture, similar things happen as on 8 September 2012. At the end of the ceremonies, as one participant at the European pilgrimage put it, “hearts flew towards the Blessed Mother” in the form of heart confetti.
“After Holy Mass I had to leave HER for about another twenty minutes in the city’s parish church so that the people could honour her,” one of the co-ordinators of the pilgrimage reported.
“After Holy Mass the people remained there for Eucharistic Adoration although normally many would go,” Mrs Pfeifer related. She attributed this to the presence of the Queen. Also in Freisen, in Saarland, Germany, the congregation consciously took the time after Sunday Mass to spend some time before the picture of the Blessed Mother and presented their intentions to her. As the Mother of God and the Mother of all people, she possesses great intercessory power with her Son, Jesus Christ. “Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix” (Lumen Gentium 62).
Who plans the pilgrimage of the Blessed Mother?
“Ultimately the Blessed Mother herself”, is the experience of those responsible. How else could it happen that a number of encounters with the “Queen of New Evangelisation” could be organised across Germany in a very short space of time? Often enough this Queen even manages to get her visit mentioned in the local newspapers, as in Bad Saulgau or Freisen. …
The pilgrim route of the “Queen of New Evangelisation in Europe” in this Year of Faith can be found (in German) on the internet page of the Projekt Pilgerheiligtum. Gradually short reports and photos will appear covering the route so far, and offering material for accompanying the pilgrimage.
Original: German. Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England/Schoenstatt.org
